ELYSEE READOUT ON LEBANESE PM SINIORA'S FEBRUARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 000344

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM EASS EFIN FR LE SY
SUBJECT: ELYSEE READOUT ON LEBANESE PM SINIORA'S FEBRUARY
21 MEETINGS IN PARIS


Classified By: A/DCM Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4. (b),(d).


1. (C) French Presidency NEA adviser Boris Boillon on 26
February provided a quick readout of Lebanese Prime Minister
Siniora's February 21 meetings with French President Sarkozy
and Prime Minister Fillon. Boillon stressed that the main
message was one of French support to Lebanon's head of
government and acting head of state in a way that underscored
the legitimacy of the Lebanese state. The visit was brief,
and the meetings confined to Sarkozy and Fillon. (Comment:
Kouchner's absence from France ruled out a possible separate
Siniora meeting with him. End comment)


2. (C) According to Boillon, Sarkozy asked Siniora for a
rundown of the situation in Lebanon and whether there was
anything new that might break the longstanding impasse. Both
leaders agreed that the Arab League initiative remained the
only game in town, and Sarkozy pledged continued French
support. Boillon said that Sarkozy reviewed French efforts
with Syria to secure agreement on a new Lebanese president
and promised that France had abandoned that approach in the
face of Syrian dishonesty and the intransigence of March 8.
The two leaders agreed on the necessity of maintaining
pressure on Syria (as well as Iran) via support for the rapid
establishment of the Special Tribunal, use of the Arab summit
as leverage over Damascus, and the formulation of a solid EU
position regarding further high-level political contact with
Syria over the coming weeks.


3. (C) Regarding the Arab summit, Boillon claimed the
French have now seen evidence that the Syrians are "more
interested" than they had been in seeing the summit occur as
planned in Damascus. He claimed signs of preparation were
evident in the city, and FM Mu'allim was traveling to other
Arab capitals. As for the issue of getting the EU to adopt a
tough common position on contact with Syria, Boillon
acknowledged that this would remain a major challenge.
France was trying to secure agreement that Solana would be
the only channel for high-level contacts with the Syrian
regime. He described the UK as "solid," but Spain and Italy,
with elections approaching, continued to be troublesome.
Germany, Boillon added, was also difficult because of what he
called Chancellor Merkel's "Steinmeier problem."


4. (C) In tandem with the political support France sought
to convey, Boillon noted the signature of an accord providing
for a 15-year, 375-million Euro bilateral budget assistance
package meant as France's fulfillment of a pledge made at the
Paris III donors conference in early 2007. As reported in
the media, the first tranche of 150 million Euros was
disbursed the same day. Boillon stated that in addition to
this assistance, France was providing aid to the Lebanese
Armed Forces. He refused, however, to provide details of
that assistance except to say that it was a combination of
programmed and impromptu help.


5. (C) With respect to French efforts on Lebanon, Boillon
stated that the days of the Elysee dealing directly with
Lebanese intermediaries representing March 8 were over. He
stressed France's firm attachment to the Arab League
initiative, even though he acknowledged little current reason
to believe it was on the verge of ushering in a breakthrough.
Boillon, with some exasperation, observed that only the
Lebanese were capable of resolving their crisis. He hoped
that continued Egyptian and Saudi pressure on Syria through
use of the Arab summit as a lever would eventually cause the
Lebanese to "act like adults." He was not optimistic,
however, given the news about the failure of ALSYG Amr Musa's
latest trip to Beirut and the latest postponement of the
presidential election.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm


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